The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-08-17

"'You mean you've jumped 1t, you
cursed thief
mo, don't. There wasn't enough
work on it to hold it, and it was as much
mine as enybody's.
"'You lie!
"sHe looked at me over the sights with
bis wicked greenish eyes for full minute.
Then he said:
!" Did you ever prayP
q "'Yes,' faultered.'
"'Then pray now I'll give you two
minutes to do it.
"By that time my mind was clear enough
to take N the whole situation, and had
no doubt but he intended to murder me
then and there. With me out of the way
there would be no one to testify TO the in
sufficient work, and woRld simply be re-
gsrded, if the story of my death was ever
told, as q claim jumper who had been
Justly dealt with. l felt nay knees begin to
tremble, and tried another rock.
eff you kill me- / said, my partner
will be back and see that you hang for It.
"In fix your partner the same way
you claim-jumping cur
True enough. Nothing would be easier
than to assassinate Burke on his return,
and we had so jealousy guarded the secret
of our trip that no one would know
where to search for Us. We would simply
never to be seen by men again, and speed
| lily to be forgotten. / had no hope of
| mercy from the instant looked into that
mans cruel face. / felt with a sickening
| qualm and q wild drumming in my ears
| that my time had come"
"'Oh, for heavens sake, don't murder
mer cried. Twill co."
1.-THE man made no reply. For moment
| my head swan, and then, with a sudden
return CT vision that was excruciating in
its clearness, l saw him stoop slightly, rest
the gun barrel over the windlass handle,
and marked even that slight contraction of
the eyelid that always Just precedes shot.
| The next instant there was crash, an eX.
| plosion and q cry all mingled into one. 1
saw the man turning head over heels down
the embankment, the Winchester flying
through cloud of smoke up into the air,
and all the while heard q loud, monoto
nous whirring noise that was like some gi.
| gantic clock running down.
Z" 1 did not realize 1t at the time, bat
this is what happened: When he rested
his gun across the windlass he dropped
the Darrell right against the little stick
had thrust in to prevent it turning, and
knocked it out l suppose the bucket oil
ore weighed $50 pounds, and the great iron
handle, swinging clear around, CANNED
such terrific momentum that, when il
| ullu III tuc ldCc, WalCu
it did, it lifted him off his feet like can
non ball. The gun was discharged by the
shock, but the bullet went nowhere neal
me. Before regained my senses heard
the bucket strike the bottom with g
smash.
''When 1 picked up the man he was IN
conscious, but moaning a little, and the
blood trucking out of his ears. His CUR
was broken. He lay at the cabin for 9
week or two, and after Charley got back We
managed to get him to SilverCity. There thu
doctors put his face in sort of plaster o.
paris cast, but, although the wounc
healed, he was out of his head, and eventu
ally died. The night before he passed
away he motioned for a little slate he USED
to write.on, for he couldn't speak. He wa
very weak, and it took him long time
but at last he scrawled:
who hit me?"
"Before they could tell him he tainted
away. The mine? oh, the mine pincheC
out after awhile and disappointed US.
sold my interest to Burke, and l think at
ter working it for year he gave up in dis
gust and moved away"